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RENTON, Wash. – The Denver Broncos have the oldest roster of the four teams in Sunday's conference championship games, which only makes sense, considering their quarterback.

"With a guy like a Peyton Manning that you know is in the back end of his career and who knows how many more years we're going to have with him, you're going to maybe keep a veteran over a young guy," Broncos executive vice president of football operations John Elway told USA TODAY Sports.

"You've got to watch how many times you do that. It's also bringing in veteran depth rather than young depth, because if you do have an injury, you want to be able to have a guy that's been there, done that and can help you when you get into big games that has that kind of experience."

Including the 37-year-old Manning, 14 Broncos are age 30 or older – more than the New England Patriots (seven) and Seattle Seahawks (six) combined. The San Francisco 49ers have 11.

It's no surprise Elway's list of his most important non-Manning roster moves mostly includes veteran signings, whereas Seahawks general manager John Schneider answers the same question by walking across his office to a photo collage of his initial draft class in 2010.

"We drafted the left tackle (Russell Okung), we drafted both the safeties (Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor) and then traded for Marshawn (Lynch, the standout running back)," Schneider said. "We were trying to improve our toughness, really, and those guys did it, immediately.

"We also try to pride ourselves on every avenue is as important as the other. We look at rookie free agency as just as important as a third-round draft choice."